


Promises

by amy_vic



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Canon, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-09
Updated: 2010-03-09
Packaged: 2017-10-07 20:03:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/68744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amy_vic/pseuds/amy_vic





	Promises

Most nights, he's not even waiting for her; at least, he pretends not to be. She'll pour herself a glass of wine and he'll always give her a few minutes, before wrapping an arm around her waist. Most nights they make it to the bedroom; others, Kate is glad she bought a larger, more comfortable couch the week after he moved in.

They have fallen into an odd kind of domesticity, and she loves every second of it.

He tells her stories sometimes, after dinner, once they have both had a few glasses of wine. Mostly they are about when he was younger, in Israel; he rarely speaks of work (and even then, he tells her only basic information), and never about his family. She tried asking about them once, but he only told her (rather coldly) that everything she needed to know about his family could be obtained with her security clearance at work. She wisely changed the subject, and hasn't brought it up since.

It took her a while to get used to not coming home to an empty apartment all the time. Of course, after the first few nights of having dinner in the oven and a glass of wine waiting for her when she walked in the door, Kate quickly adjusted.

One night, she comes home to find him sitting on the couch, a drink on the table by his elbow. There is something in his posture that tells her that this won't be a quiet night in front of the fire.

"Has something happened?"

He shakes his head, but won't look at her.

"What is it?"

"I have to leave." He pauses, continuing when she doesn't visibly react. "They need me to leave. Tonight."

It is then that Kate notices the two suitcases and a carry-on bag, sitting on the other side of the couch. They are all black, and (she fears) all packed.

They have never really discussed how he makes his living. They spoke about it one night, and came to the agreement that 'out of sight, out of mind' was the best way deal with it. His employers saw fit to keep him in the D.C. area, and Kate decided not to ask any questions. He was always came home at the end of the day, and that was all that mattered. She perfected her massage techniques to alleviate the tension in his back, and they went to bed happy and safe.

"Oh." There's too much that she wants to say, but that one word is all that manages to fight its way out of her mouth.

"Love, you know I don't want this, either. But I have no choice. If I don't go..." He leaves the words unspoken between them. She realizes the importance of his work, even if she doesn't know the details.

She stares at him, suddenly fierce and accusing. "You knew. You knew this would happen."

"Yes." He doesn't lie to her anymore, unless it's for her own safety. This isn't one of those times.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice betrays her face; she's breaking on the inside.

"I'm sorry."

"The hell with your apology."

"It will be fine."

"Yeah? Look me in the eye and promise me that you won't be flown home in the cargo hold of the plane." She's shaking, anger and terror taking over her body, and she backs away from him. She suddenly wants to be anywhere but near him.

He can't meet her eyes. He stares at her bottom lip instead. It's trembling, and if she begins to cry, he knows he'll never make it to the door. He can't bear to see her cry.

"I'll come home. I swear it."

She takes a deep breath, pulling courage from the air around her, and delivers a final blow.

"If anything happens to you, don't bother coming back to me."

His pager beeps then, and he moves toward the door, suitcases in hand.

"I'm so sorry, Caitlin. I never meant for this to happen."  
  


*****  
  
  
She returns home from work one night a few weeks later, to find lilies and white roses on the kitchen table. There is no note in the envelope lying next to them; instead, she finds the set of keys she copied for him.

The flowers are given to her upstairs neighbours, and Kate takes a long, hot shower.

They bump into each other on the street, some time later. She's late for work, and is in a hurry. She isn't looking as she leaves the coffee shop, and slams directly into him as a result.

"Damn, I'm sorry, I wasn't-"

"It's not a problem, Caitlin." He smiles at her warmly, and she fights the urge to drop her coffee on the sidewalk and throw her arms around his neck.

Instead, she takes a breath, trying to stop her heart from trip-hammering, and tries to act disinterested. "Excuse me, I'm late for work."

It nearly breaks her, and they both know it. She moves away, but makes it only a few steps before she calls his name, and he turns to face her.

"I'm sorry, too."


End file.
